Day 148
Large amounts of elastic bands and such have been removed from the spare parts stores. And lengths of metal tubing.
Their seems to be a competition going on to see which squad can come up with the best harpoon launcher.
Dinner was something artificial from a tube for everyone else (no time to pack food) and a flask of goop for me.
Day 149
The gun we built can fire further than anyone else's with reasonable accuracy if you hold it still. It is however very hard to load.
Have had a thought. If most of the people are in bubble colonies then the bolters should work. Pointed this out to the captain. He told me to get back to making the harpoon guns. The last thing you need is to blow a hole in the side of the bubble and let all the air out. The bolters are staying on the ship.
We have perfected our design of harpoon gun. It is essentially a sniper harpoon. We tested it in the ships water purification tanks.
Now is the monotones and dull task of making the actual harpoons.
Day 150
Found a las-pistol in a locker. Tried firing it underwater. All it did was heat the water around it extremely quickly and give me scalded hands. Taking it for if we end up fighting in one of the bubbles.
Everyone else looking for las-weapons in disused lockers.
Found a melta-gun. Sarge took it of me before I could roll down to the water tanks. He told me that there were things that humanity was not yet ready to learn and one of them is what happens to the user of a melta-gun that is discharged underwater.
Got back to turning spare metal sheeting into harpoons.
Its actually quite nice in a therapeutic way is the making of the harpoons.
Day 151
Dropped out of the warp. Cant get to close to a gravity well of a planet with out landing inside solid rock. WHACK! Instant fossil.
Now it is the sub light engines and quick skimming thought the shallows of the warp.
Got hold of a permanent marker and wrote on the bottom of all the drop pods 'If you can read this its too late to duck'
We are approaching the planet from the side of one of the poles.
Have big stockpile of harpoons. Now comes the frantic search for some way of conveniently carrying them.
Putting the power armour on. I really do not like power armour. It makes my Black Carapace feel funky, and that is not a pleasant experience, but it beats being crushed under eleventy-billion tonnes of water.
Librarian Gvon filled all our armour with a sort of gel that should go solid in contact with the water around any break in the armour. Sort of an auto-puncture repair kit.
Gut lurching, bowel worrying sensation of the G-forces that are involved in dropping a drop pod. Hitting water and then sinking to the bottom of the sea just makes it worse because you get seasick as well.
It's totally impossible to be sick in power armour thank goodness.
Day 152
Turns out we landed about 5 miles away from the mining colony we are supposed to be getting to.
The water and power armour really takes the weight of your feet. Almost like walking in low gravity.
The only light this far down is from some of the weirdest and ugliest fish-things I have ever seen. That and the containers of phosphorescent rot we are using as light sources. It's very much like a nightmare world complete with weird looking monsters.
No matter how weird the fish may be I think I have just found something weirder; there is a squad of Space Marines walking towards us. That is not particularly weird in its self except they are wearing no armour!
These have to be the Space Sharks. We tried talking to them but the voice synthesizers in the helmets were never designed to work under water. We also tried writing on a waterproof notebook. That didn't work. What sort of Chapter does not know High Gothic?
These have to be the strangest Marines I have ever met. They have black on black eyes, an extra set of translucent eyelids, a complete set of pointy teeth, webbed hands, a really thick neck and they have gills in that tree stump thick neck. They are not navigating by sight because they spend most of their time with their eyes shut; they seem to be navigating by some sort of smell (is it possible they are using the ambient magnetism in the water for navigation?). Each has the emblem of the shark tattooed on their shoulder.
They carry harpoon guns that put ours to shame. It looks like an archaic 'tommy-gun' that has been modified to fire lengths of metal by elastic bands.
Passed what looks like a whale skeleton. Now that is really spooky looking when all you have to see by is a bottle of glowing mould and your allies walk through this nightmare realm like silent wraiths.
Day 153
We are here. We see the mining bubble. It is the only entrance to the mining facility as this is the only place they can get air from. It looks like a big metal dome. With a pipe coming out of the top of it
Now we wait for the time to attack. The assaults are going to be at the same time so as no one gets any warning. That means there is three hours to wait.
Wonder who the Space Sharks descended from. It can't be the ultramarines (thank goodness) or they would be called something stupid like The Aquamarines.
Playing 'I spy'. So far we have had silt, rock, water, metal, mining colony, weird fish looking marine, whalebone, harpoon and power armour. Think that may be everything.
Nearly time. We are going to wait the last five minuets outside the door.
Times up. We are going in by the traditional method of knocking on the door with a melta-bomb.
Day 154
That was a bloody awful battle. Half of it was underwater. Most of the walls are painted in various bright colours including some that you should not see with out being high on Obscura. Nearly all the walls have at least one pornographic scene on them. Ran out of film before sarge confiscated the camera.
The harpoon guns we made were just as good as we thought they would. They were bloody useless. Tried to use the las-pistol as much as possible but it is extremely hard trying to fire a gun designed for normal human hand whilst wearing power armour.
The Cultists are holding half the dome. They have barricaded and welded shut a lot of doors and subsequently hold half of the colony. We just about got the stairway to the surface, so hopefully they are trapped.
The Space Sharks are not people I would like to cross. Saw one of them bite someone's throat out.
Thought of a new battle cry the cultists could use; 'Porn for the porn god!'
Day 155
Most of the colony is underground (obviously, its a mining colony) and the visible bubble we saw before was just the tip of it. All the doors are welded shut and we dare not use explosives or anything that could damage anything because there are civilians here as well.
The place is a bit like a hive-city. But not as over crowded or criminal infested. This last fact could of course be the fact that criminals are usually the first to go over to the Ruinous Powers and they are under siege.
Siege is pretty much what it is. We can't get in, they can't get out. Sounds like a nice arrangement to me. They'll starve.
Pointed this out to sarge. Got told to use my head for something other than nutting people. There are lots of innocents stuck behind those doors and the plankton farms are on that side as well. They can survive indefinitely and the innocents will keep them entertained for years.
The idea of people being trapped with so many cultists is sickening and revolting. But until someone comes up with a way of getting through foot thick adamantium we are a bit stuck.
Doing what any sane Marine would do in such circumstances; going to look for a pub.
Day 156
Found one. Looks like the Space Sharks beat me to it.
The humans are looking at us with expressions of fear and wonder. Guess they never saw a Space Marine before.
Its a fact that most of humanity has never seen a Space Marine before. Most of humanity worships or at least venerates the Immortal Emperor in some way or other, be it as a god or a saviour or a distant figure of legend that watches over us and protects. It all depends on how the Ecclesiarchy has screwed them up. They have, in some way, Space Marines incorporated into his legends and stuff because of the stuff we did during the Horus Heresy.
Essentially they see us as Angels. Poor sods.
The good thing about power armour is you can stand up for ever in it because of the 100 percent body support it offers. This is good when you would otherwise crush even the sturdiest barstool.
Using the last bit of money I managed to hide from the Chapter to get drinks. In 1200 years I have saved up and hidden enough to pay for everyone's drinks. This made everyone very happy.
Day 157
Well that is me broke. Not that I am bothered particularly as I am not meant to have any money at all because of the Geller field that had to be replaced
Still can't figure out what anyone was saying. Weird language the have round here. Seems to follow the same basic form as Catachan deep jungle low gothic and I am sure I picked out some words of Linga Tecnis.
Joined up with the rest of the squad.
All other doors have been massively reinforced on this side except this one and another that the Sharks are guarding.
Sarge got local cog-head to let us borrow the meanest looking welding torch I have ever seen.
The wall is beginning to glow red.
Still glowing red.
Still red
Day 158
For what it is worth we are all firing the las-weapon at the wall as well. For is it not written in the Chapter Approved Book Of Proverbs 'every little helps'.
Metal turning yellow.
Space Sharks have come to see what we are up to.
Got some buckets of crushed ice. Stop welding and threw the buckets at them. Then started welding again. Then threw buckets. Then started welding again. Then threw a bucket and the wall shattered.
We were all wearing power armour and the Shark marines managed to jump out of the way, or behind one of us, with commendable speed.
This means they probably did not descend from the Salamanders. The Salamanders have ponderous tendencies.
Day 159
That was another bitch of a battle. The apocrathy is trying to stitch the surviving victims of the cultists back together as best he can. Power armour makes it impossible to be sick. After seeing what was done to those poor sods I am glad of this fact.
I think the Space Sharks may be children of Sanguinius. One of them is chewing on a cultists arm as a snack.
What is the difference between Loyalists and Traitors? It sure as hell can't be attitude or behaviour. It's just a case of answer the question 'Do you serve the Immortal Emperor?' and if the question is yes then you are loyal and your chapter is allowed to own a planet. If it were anything to do with behaviour then half the Blood Angel's later foundings would be burned at the stake.
Day 160
We descend further into the depths of the mining colony. We are in the tunnels were once were rich veins of iron. Came across a rape/torture gang this morning. I tore three of them to pieces before my brothers could get near them.
Got to the plankton farms. These are used for making lots of synthetic foods that taste like crap but are said to be very nutritious. Personally I would rather eat my own foot.
After much searching we have found the last of the cult cowering behind some meagre defences at the back of a dead end tunnel.
Its over.
Day 161
Space Sharks are having a barbecue in the tunnel were we found the last of the cultists. Any guess what/who they are eating?
Setting off up to the surface to report a successful mission. We will then get of this weird world. The Space Sharks can get off this world however they got on, because I would not wish to share a ship with psychotic cannibals. I mean, what if we get stranded and they get hungry?
Got to the surface. It feels good to take the power armour off. I came prepared for this mission. I am wearing sandals, shorts and an extremely brightly coloured shirt under the power armour. Going to go and sunbathe. If sarge asks I will telling him that I am just seeing if my skin is still photo-sensitive after all the crap that happened to it in the last millennia.
Shuttles are busy picking up the other squads. Won't get to us before tomorrow morning. That is fine by me. I intend to sleep in the sun. All I am short of to make this perfect is a pint of beer.
Day 162
All good things come to an end. The ship arrived.
One of the apocrathys found two of the slaaneshii cultist's victims had 100 percent compatible genetics. Yey! Two more neophytes. Apparently they are talking some really twisted bastardised Necromundan/Catchan hybrid language. Thankfully Brother Benedict is fluent in both languages.
They both agreed to join. We are not a chapter that delights in abduction, nor are we heartless and inhuman. We will give them a month to say goodbye to everyone and then we will send a ship round to pick them up if they still want to join.
I remember when I was told I could join the Chapter. I was 25, a trooper in the PDF and in hospital after being gutted by a chaos xeno. My parents and sisters were so proud. I still miss them.
Day 163
The ship is really boring. It does not help that I am sharing a room with Brother Bear. He sheds hair everywhere this time of year.
I cannot believe that no one brought a deck of cards. There are 400 marines, HOW COULD NONE OF US OF BROUGHT A DECK OF CARDS?!?!?
Oh, and it turns out cog-brother Baal shot himself through the neck with his own harpoon gun. How the hell do you do this with power armour on? I mean how?
If he were human he would be dead. It begs the question of how a marine smart enough to be a Cog-brother can do something so stupid.
Day 167
Playing 'paper scissors stone'. We are that board.
Tried playing 'eye spy'. That is a bit hard on a ship that is so small and claustrophobic.
Day 168
It's the arm wrestling contest level of boredom we have reached. Soon it will descend to normal wrestling and then the head butting contests and after that there is no hope.
You know what I reckon they should do for long flights like this? They should get one of those VR training machines. Yes, I know that one of them got possessed once and it nearly killed an entire chapter, but it's a chance I am willing to take.
Day 169
We will be back soon. Or so we should.
I have been beaten at arm wrestling by nearly everyone.
On the positive side I have put lots of time into tying peoples bootlaces together with out them noticing. They try to walk then hop then look down to see what has happened and then they hit the floor. Its fun to watch.
Day 170
I really hate warp travel. They say that the Geller field is totally warp proof. The cog-heads expend a large amount of words in saying so. So why do I have such bloody strange dreams when I am travelling by warp. Is there a Deamon of bladed cabbages that prays upon the minds of marines? I will have to research it when we get back
We should be back by now.
The navigator says the currents are acting all funky in front of us and it is like navigating forwards is like pissing into the wind.
Day 171
You hear stories about ships that get lost in the warp for hundreds of years and come out in the wrong spiral arm and stuff. I wonder what it is like.
There was this one marine that I met, cant remember which chapter, who claimed to have arrived a day before he set of. If I did that I would run to the nearest astropath and send a message to myself not to set off. Just to see what will happen.
So bored.
Day 172
Found a permanent marker and am writing on the walls. This is a sign of crazyness. I am not crazy. Not crazy I tell you!
So Board.
Drawn a life-sized tree complete with happy little red squirrel.
SO BORED!
Day 173
Hooray, we are back!!
Went to my room and stuck the photos I have taken in the photo album.
Most of the porny pics are in fact pictures of my thumb. Damn!
Going to need a new photo album soon. This one has had so many pages added to it it is nearly a foot thick. You could use it to club oxen with.
Day 178
I have just realised something! It is the annual chapter holiday tomorrow! Yay!
Hope we are going to the beach this time. Last year we went to the mountains and it rained and rained and rained. And all the ice-cream got soggy and ants got at my sandwiches.
Dinner was porridge so thick you could use it to stick bricks together.
Have just found out that the System King has died whilst we were out chaos bashing. Dude with the voting box came round.
The late king had 5 apprentices. All of them seemed to be copy's of himself and there are even rumours of cloning. Which is an art practiced only by the blackest of the Dark Mechanicus. All the kings seem to look very much alike so it would not surprise me if they have been clones for the last 20,000 years.
Chapter Master is probably going to vote for the oldest of the 5 as he also sounds most like the late king in approach and outlook and, most importantly, wanting to keep the Kargothan system as separate from the rest of the Impeium as possible.
I dare say members of the Inquisition would find such a thing heretical but this system could survive just about anything short of a Black Crusade and we would like to keep it that way. Getting involved with the wider Imperium is likely to change that and make us weaker.
Day 179
Were going to the beach! Yey!
All went to nearest train station and boarded the train. We all, except the neophytes, get a senior citizens discount. One of the lesser-known advantages of being a Marine.
Yep. That's the sea. I would recognise it anywhere. Everyone is starting to do all those things that you are supposed to do on the beach, like building sand castles, and sand space ships and wearing the red and white stripy swimming suit or a big pair of baggy shorts.
Brother Bear has covered himself with algae and kelp and seaweed and is jumping out at people pretending to be a sea monster. It's funny seeing their terrified expressions.
Several people have already mistaken Sarge as a big lump of beached seaweed because of all the green and brown tattoos.
The Dreads, operating on some long buried instinct, are trying to sunbathe. Even thought they have no skin. Weird. One of them is wearing a huge wide brimmed straw hat.
The chapter master is building the biggest sand castle in the world. It's got battlement, it's got a drawbridge, it's got turrets, it's got big high walls and spires and spiky bits along the walls.
As always happens in such circumstances sand war has broken out. Librarian Gvon has brought forth the book of sand war rules and we are now constructing infantry and tanks out of little bits of driftwood.
Before the tide came in a faction of sand castles owned by a squad of 1st company devastators had the upper hand. Lots of tourists wanted to have their pictures taken with us. It's all just so they can say to their friends that they have seen a Space Marine.
For dinner me and Drell and Benedict went to a nice little cafe with the traditional white and blue stripy umbrellas and had a big plate of egg and crisp buttys. The cost is coming out of our allowable government expenses.
Decided to tie one end of a rope to a railing and one end to my foot and I am going to sunbathe by lying face down in the sea. The rope is to make sure I do not drift out with the tide.
Day 180
Woke up face down in the sea. Oh the salty freshness.
Going to the park to watch squirrels. Its fun to watch them scurry between the graves and trees when you throw a nut for them.
Squirrels are funny. For all the horrors and atrocities that I have weathered and fought through to protect worlds like this the simple happy little creature knows nothing thereof. That sums up the Adeptus Astrates all over that does.
If I could have my time again I would wish to have it as one of these little red creatures. You just have to bury nuts and you just have normal things to worry about and your brain is too small to realise the fragile nature of the world upon which you stand. Bliss.
For dinner was a plate of egg and chips.
Going down t the beach now that the tide is out far enough.
Building sand castles. Sand war broke out again. Our faction was the first to fall after the main fort was all but destroyed by a single pebble to the foundation of one of the walls. Should have dug a moat.
Tenth company Terminators won this one. They built their fortress with its back to a rock so they just had to fortify the front of it. And they reinforced the outer wall with bits of driftwood. That's real class in a sand castle that is.
We all went to the cinema when the tide came in. Me and my squad went to see a film about Sebastian Thor. It was either that or Horus Heresy, The Musical. Hate musicals.
Went to the park to watch bats. They flutter like nocturnal butterflies.
Day 181
By my reckoning it was about two in the morning when Librarian Gvon started psychically telling us all to hurry back to the station. Every Librarian in the chapter got a message from the chapter astropath.
Heard what the message was. Very simple. The word 'Help' and coordinates. Everything else is in some weird gibberish.
Why did it have to be in the middle of the annual chapter holiday? Is three days a year too much to ask?
All on train and its starting to rain. Good thing is that I have stocked up on enough sugary sweets to last a couple of months. If the government are going to pay they should expect stuff like this
Back at the Fortress.
Placed all the sugary food under the floorboards of my room. And in the hollow cavity between my room and the cleaning supplies closet.
Found the coordinates on the big star-map in the big library. Only one planet that is habitable on that system and its name is Grograthag. Sounds a bit orky if you ask me.
Found a really old dusty book. It an imperial official issue propaganda thing that goes on to describe the people as mindless savages that drink the blood of the dead and feast on the flesh of good pure humans, blah blah blah... you get the picture.
Speaking of picture there is one in the back of the book. A photo of what looks like a family of, to put no fine point on it, beastmen. Looks like it was made before the age of Gorge Van Dire. No wonder it's covered in so much dust.
If you filter all the propaganda out of it you can pick up the facts. I am highlighting these in yellow highlighter for the poor sod who has to read the book. The locals, all abbhuman, have got to the level of technology where they have invented charcoal, bow and arrow, agriculture and smugglers from the next system out. To some of the most advanced native iron is the cutting edge of cutting edge technology. But most still prefer bronze.
We do not know why they were calling us because none of us can understand the message. So we are all going. Except the 8th. Rules dictate that at least one company has to stay behind so if a mission goes all wonky the chapter does not go extinct.